SAFETY ALERT ISSUED BY BSEE FOLLOWING INSPECTIONS AND FINDINGS FROM FIRED VESSELS


US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has issued a safety alert summarizing its findings and recommendations following a number of recent risk-based inspections. BSEE’s team of inspectors and engineers developed several recommendations from inspection findings to reduce the risks associated with fired vessels; hydrocarbon processing vessels on offshore oil and gas facilities with self-contained, natural or forced draft burners.


Between July 17 and July 20, BSEE inspectors visited 27 platforms operated by 14 unique operators to focus on personnel competency, mechanical integrity of fired vessels, managements systems, and maintenance of fire suppression systems.


BSEE inspectors also tested the effectiveness of operators’ Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) by witnessing the application of safety management principles and processes.


BSEE found the following: – Fired vessel operating procedures were not available to all personnel involved in the equipment operations;


– Operators are not consistently inspecting gauge cock valves to make sure they are functioning properly and remaining in the correct status/position;


– A majority of the inspected operators do not perform documented inspections/reviews beyond regulatory safety device testing of the vessel – specifically, monitoring glycol sample analysis;


– Multiple operators are complying with 30 CFR 250.876, which requires operators to have a qualified third-party remove and inspect, and repair or replace, as needed, the fire tube for tube-type heaters that are equipped with either automatically controlled natural or forced draft burners installed in either atmospheric or pressure vessels that heat hydrocarbons and/or glycol;


– Multiple facilities where the integrity of the flame arrestor and spark arrestor could not be easily inspected, the frequency of inspections was not understood by facility personnel, or there was no documentation of inspections;


– Operators’ inspections and maintenance of fire suppression/fighting systems were overwhelmingly in compliance. However, consideration should be given to the location of deluge systems and fire suppression equipment;


– The facilities associated with the PBRI had minimal issues with excessive temperatures;


– Temperature safety element (TSE) coverage on offshore facilities associated with the PBRI were appropriate and in good condition.


Read the story in full and download the safety bulletin at https://bit.ly/2PHGV4t


THE DANGERS OF CARRYING NICKEL ORE CARGO AND THE ASSOCIATED RISKS ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY THE WEST OF ENGLAND P&I CLUB


The West of England P&I Club has warned operators and others involved of the dangers of carrying nickel ore. Carrying nickel ore can be dangerous, because of the risk of liquefaction of the cargo on passage when the moisture content is higher than the cargo’s Flow Moisture Point (FMP).


After a number of ships being lost, with liquefaction of their nickel ore cargoes suspected of being the cause, the West of England Club published a Notice some years ago addressing the Dangers of Carrying Nickel ore. This Notice is still in forced and was re-issued as No.13 2017/2018 – Dangers of Carrying Nickel Ore from Indonesia and the Philippines – Mandatory Notification Requirements (re-issued).


The Club reminds operators of the risk of liquefaction with this cargo, as showcased by the loss of the ‘Emerald Star’, which claimed the lives of 11 seafarers in October 2017.


14 | The Report • December 2018 • Issue 86


Safety Briefings


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